Yael Rebecca Turk

Ms. Yael Rebecca Turk

orcid

Research Focus & Metrics

Academic Career Length

5Years (2022-Present)

(Calculated once Scilit publication data is synced: current year − year of first publication + 1)

Representative Publications

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9 November 2023 in Cancers
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
KSKatrina Grace Sadang
Katrina Grace Sadang
JCJoely Centracchio
Joely Centracchio
YTYael Rebecca Turk
Yael Rebecca Turk
EPElyse Park
Elyse Park
JFJosephine L FEliciano
Josephine L FEliciano
JGJoseph A Greer
Joseph A Greer
Early integrated palliative care (EIPC) significantly improves clinical outcomes for patients with advanced cancer. Telehealth may be a useful tool to deliver EIPC sustainably and equitably. Palliative care clinicians completed a survey regarding their perceptions of the barriers, facilitators, and benefits of using telehealth video visits for delivering EIPC for patients with advanced lung cancer. Forty-eight clinicians across 22 cancer centers completed the survey between May and July 2022. Most (91.7%) agreed that telehealth increases access to EIPC and simplifies the process for patients to receive EIPC (79.2%). Clinicians noted that the elderly, those in rural areas, and those with less-resourced backgrounds have greater difficulty using telehealth. Perceived barriers were largely patient-based factors, including technological literacy, internet and device availability, and patient preferences. Clinicians agreed that several organizational factors facilitated telehealth EIPC delivery, including technological infrastructure (85.4%), training (83.3%), and support from study coordinators (81.3%). Other barriers included systems-based factors, such as insurance reimbursement and out-of-state coverage restrictions. Patient-, organization-, and systems-based factors are all important to providing and improving access to telehealth EIPC services. Further research is needed to investigate the efficacy of telehealth EIPC and how policies and interventions may improve access to and dissemination of this care modality.

1 October 2022 in Journal of Clinical Oncology
Verified
Journal Article
Closed access
JHJacqueline Han
Jacqueline Han
KPKathryn Elizabeth Post
Kathryn Elizabeth Post
EGEmily R Gallagher-Medeiros
Emily R Gallagher-Medeiros
CTChardria Trotter
Chardria Trotter
LHLauren Heuer
Lauren Heuer
JGJoseph A Greer
Joseph A Greer
247 Background: Despite the importance of having a clear understanding of the likely outcome of cancer to inform medical decision-making, about one third of patients with advanced lung cancer report inaccurate perceptions of their prognosis. To identify factors associated with lower and higher prognostic understanding, we examined the relationships among patients’ perceptions of prognosis and their demographic characteristics, quality of life (QOL), and mood symptoms. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of baseline data from patients enrolled in two multisite palliative care trials. Eligible participants included adults with advanced non-small cell lung cancer, small cell lung cancer, or mesothelioma diagnosed in the past 12 weeks and an ECOG Performance Status <3 across 23 cancer centers in the US. At baseline, patients self-reported their current health status and understanding of whether their cancer is curable. Patients’ prognostic understanding was categorized into three levels: “high” if patients reported that their illness was terminal and incurable, “medium” if patients reported that their illness was either terminal or incurable, and “low” if patients reported that their illness was neither terminal nor incurable. To assess QOL and depression symptoms, patients completed the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Lung (FACT-L) and the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), respectively. Linear regression models adjusting for patient demographic factors were used to examine the associations among prognostic understanding, QOL, and depression symptoms. Results: The sample included 1430 patients with advanced lung cancer (Mean age = 65.50 years; 52.5% female; 4.0% Asian, 10.6% Black, 81.8% White; 65.9% married). Patient-reported prognostic understanding varied as follows: high (45.1%), medium (32.7%), and low (22.2%). Patients who were older (p =.015), male (p <.001), Black or Asian (p =.015), or married (p =.012) had lower prognostic understanding. Adjusting for demographic factors, patients with higher prognostic understanding reported worse QOL (FACT-L: B = -5.392, SE = 0.71, p <.001) and depression symptoms (PHQ-9: B = 0.99, SE = 0.19, p < 0.001) versus those with lower prognostic understanding. Conclusions: A substantial proportion of patients with newly diagnosed advanced lung cancer have low prognostic understanding. Those with high prognostic understanding report worse QOL and depression symptoms, which may be due to patients relating their poor health status to their prognosis. Furthermore, patient age, gender, race, and relationship status are salient correlates of prognostic understanding. Tailored interventions are needed to improve illness understanding and address the related supportive care needs of patients with advanced lung cancer, especially those at risk for low prognostic understanding.